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TELECOMMUNICATIONS INSTALLATION
FOR
CABLE & WIRELESS ISLE OF MAN LIMITED
AT
18 JAN 2008
Ballaskilley Farm
Lhen road BRIDE IM7 4BG
Planning Application Supporting Statement
DATE: 14th December 2007
PREPARED BY:
Steven Allan Cable & Wireless
Cable & Wireless IOM REF: 73 BRIDE
Cable and Wireless Isle of Man Limited (C\&W) has recently been awarded an Isle of Man (IOM) Mobile Operators License, issued by the Island's Communications Commission, to provide a mobile phone network and services to the island's inhabitants and visitors. This service will compete with the incumbent operator (Manx Telecom) and will allow greater choice and competition for the consumers.
The Mobile phone network does consist of a number of sites that have a combination of equipment, such as panel antenna, that provide coverage in the vicinity and also transmission dishes that link sites together. With other sites they are designed to provide a wider continuous network: this intern provides coverage throughout the Island.
As is the case in this instance, C\&W will endeavour to install their equipment on existing infrastructure or radio transmitters. The aim always is to minimise the visual impact of providing this new mobile phone network.
Where this is not possible and it is necessary to introduce the additional telecommunications infrastructure onto the Island this supporting statement will justify, both why the infrastructure is required and demonstrate that the pest possible available site has been identified, keeping visual amenity as a priority at all times.
It will also help to explain the decisions which led to the specific location being chosen and what alternatives were discounted.
A variety of supporting information may be included with each application but ultimately the C\&W aim is to minimise the number of new structures and reduce the visual impact of the network; whilst providing sufficient signal strength to provide coverage for customers to take advantage of the C\&W services that will become available.
The development covered by this application is intended to be a site share utilising an existing mobile phone mast.
The proposed development will consist of 3 GSM panel antennas and 2 transmission dishes placed on the existing Manx telecom lattice tower at Ballaskilley Farm, Bride. There would also be 2 equipment cabinets $1900 \mathrm{~mm} \mathrm{H} \times 800 \mathrm{~mm} \mathrm{~W} \times 800 \mathrm{~mm}$ D placed on a concrete plinth $150 \mathrm{~mm} \mathrm{H} \times 2000 \mathrm{~mm} \mathrm{~W} \times 1500 \mathrm{~mm} \mathrm{D}$ and an MEA meter cabinet within the existing Manx Telecom compound.
The proposed development site is located on the periphery of a Golf course and the surrounding area, other than the Golf course, is predominantly for agricultural purposes. The location of the site has been strategically considered to provide optimal coverage in the north of the Island. It will provide coverage to the Point of Ayre, A16, a substantial portion of the A10, the villages of Bride and Cranstal; this site will also provide coverage to a number of properties distributed in the area north of Bride. All these areas currently have no or very low signal levels from the Cable \& Wireless network.
Whilst the site provides good coverage to the target area it has also been chosen from a visual amenity perspective as the proposed installation is to be located on an existing Manx telecom lattice tower.
With in the search area this is the optimum location for a Mobile Phone cell site. As an existing telecommunications site it provides the lease obtrusive option available. Any other option within the target area would require the development of a new site with its associated mast; given the environmental impact of the development of a new site we do not feel it appropriate in this instance.
As a result we feel that this is the most obvious choice of site location is the existing structure, as it is suitable for joint use and the additional equipment required will have minimal impact on the locality.
We have met with Mr Ian Brooks to discuss this proposal; Mr Brooks accepted the need for a site in this area and was supportive of the concept of site share with Manx Telecom Ltd, at there existing site in this location.
Manx Telecom has an existing telecommunications base-station at this location.
Cable \& Wireless do not have any existing sites north, of West Kimmeragh and as a result of this the area around Bride is in the radio shadow of the Kimmeragh hills. This in turn results in C\&W GSM coverage in the area of Bride being of a very low level, leaving mobile phone operation intermittent at best. The proposed site would provide good coverage from Bride to the Point of Ayre as well as to the A16 and a portion of the A10.
If this location is not supported there will still be a need for a site in this area, and we feel the very best location has already been identified by way of this application. Without a site in this area, many residents, businesses and tourists will not be able to take advantage of having a choice of Mobile Operator, that the issuing of new licences was (in part) designed to accommodate.
The accompanying coverage plots provide good evidence of what coverage this site provides and how it fits in the other proposed sites in the wider network. Finally the existence of a Manx Telecom site here also provides good evidence of the need for coverage in this area and that is why we wish to locate on the same site.
The proposed site will also provide additional resilient LOS links between existing network nodes. Which is an important part of the wider network structure and a key part of the design structure of the Cable \& Wireless network.
As the selected proposed location is on an existing telecommunications tower, the addition of additional antennas to the existing lattice tower will be of minimum visual impact and a substantially lower environmental impact, than the development of a completely new site. Similarly the two proposed equipment cabinets ( 1.9 metre high by approx 0.8 metre wide/deep) will not significantly alter the visual aspect of the existing site. These cabinets would be to the rear of the existing mast and to the side of the existing Manx Telecom building on the proposed site.
As a result, we feel the most obvious choice of site location is the existing Manx telecom mast. The location is approximately 500 m form the main road and 250 m from the nearest residential property.
The positioning of the site in this location is critical to ensure both continuous coverage to the area and to maintain line-of-sight between it and adjacent existing nodes.
The proposed site does not have a specific or restrictive designation under the 1982 Development Plan, nor does it fall within an area of restricted building height due to Air Safety.
This site has been designed in accordance with the current mainland UK Cellular operator's guidance for both Occupational \& Public ICNIRP compliance. Our design consultants are satisfied that this site design complies with the above guidelines and therefore a signed ICNIRP certificate is enclosed with this application.
1) Isle of Man Government Statutory Boards, Offices \& Agencies Plans 2006-2009. Volume 3 .
Page 25 under Communications Commission Aims \& Objectives Section: Objective: Social inclusion - to enhance access to services for the whole population: "We will enforce universal service obligations by telecoms operators with significant market power. They must provide telephone services throughout the Island,"
2) Isle of Man Government Statutory Boards< Offices \& Agencies Plans 2005-2008. Volume 3 Page 20, under Communications Commission Aims \& Objectives Section. Objective; The built Environment -, to reduce the visual impact of telecommunications and radio infrastructure on the Island's landscape. "We will encourage increased mast sharing by broadcasters, under the Radio Masts Regulation Act Limitations". 3) The Town and Country Planning Act 1999.
Page 101"A balance must be struck between the need for new, evolving communications systems to satisfy residential and business demand and the impact that the necessary infrastructure will have upon the environment. Measures which may help to achieve a satisfactory balance will include a presumption against visually intrusive masts in sensitive landscapes, the encouragement of mast sharing by different operators, and the removal of redundant infrastructure. Exceptions to this policy would need to demonstrate a strategic national need, which cannot be otherwise secured by mast sharing or alternative locations."
Cable and Wireless believe the installation complies with the Islands Policies above.
To summarise, we consider that this is the optimum location and design for our proposed site.
The coverage plots help to demonstrate that there is a definite need of the site both as a vital link site to adjacent cells and providing important coverage to Bride and the surrounding area.
The siting and appearance has been carefully considered to best utilise the existing Telecommunications tower. The addition of antenna to the existing structure, when viewed on the skyline, will be minimal.
Therefore the design proposed represents both the optimum planning/environmental and technical solution in this instance. As such, we believe the development as proposed is in accordance with planning guidance as defined above.
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